Tag: Environment

PPA Profiles: W.I.L.D. for Prospect Park

July 11, 2016

Mary Beth Artz, one of the founding members of W.I.L.D. for Prospect Park and a lifelong Brooklynite, has always felt a strong connection to the Prospect Park Lake. As a child growing up in Windsor Terrace, her father would take her to the Lullwater to look for tadpoles. This area is still one of Artz’s favorite places in the Park, and she has dedicated herself to improving the health of the animals that call the Lake home.

W.I.L.D., in their own words, is “a group of community members committed to ensuring that Prospect Park is safe and healthy for all animals and plants that call the park’s incredible ecosystem home,” and seeks to accomplish this goal through a combination of volunteerism and outreach around the Lake. Since forming in 2011, W.I.L.D meets regularly to remove trash from the water and to educate park visitors about how improperly discarded trash, such as plastic bags and soda cans, pose a danger to wildlife. Recently, members removed floating debris from the lake, using boats provided by Village Community Boathouse. Artz also conducts solo clean-ups multiple times a week, and represents W.I.L.D. when working with the Prospect Park Alliance on environmental projects.

Most recently, W.I.L.D. joined forces with the Alliance and FIDO in Prospect Park to create and install recycling containers where anglers can responsibly dispose of fishing line, which can seriously entangle fish and birds. Artz advised the Alliance on where these containers should be placed, in order to have the largest positive impact. W.I.L.D. members visit the containers regularly to remove the fishing line, and speak with anglers to encourage them to “clear your gear.”

W.I.L.D.’s dedication has led to partnerships with Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, when he was state senator, and the Humane Society, bringing city-wide attention to the Park’s biodiversity. Artz’s care for animals also extends beyond her work with W.I.L.D. She has worked as an educator at the Prospect Park Zoo, and is a devoted owner of several rescue cats.

W.I.L.D. is open to wildlife lovers of all ages—their youngest member is only ten years old. W.I.L.D. also encourages everyone to be an everyday steward of the Park by bringing your own trash bags, and properly disposing of garbage. Every little bit helps to beautify the Lake, and protect the wide variety of animals that call it home.

Join one of their monthly clean ups!

A Greener Lakeside

March 15, 2016

As part of its commitment to sustainable design, the Alliance recycled a significant amount of the construction waste when creating the LeFrak Center at Lakeside, including the soil, which was stored on site and proved to be the perfect growing ground for weeds. While the Alliance added a number of native trees, flowering shrubs, perennials  and grasses to the landscape as part of the project, these plants battle for air, light, water, space and nutrients with the weeds, which if left unchecked could reign supreme.

In a new strategy to combat weeds and ensure the continued beauty and diversity of the landscape, this past year Ronen Gamil, Assistant Gardener for the Prospect Park Alliance, saved seeds from several native grasses and perennials. Ronen harvested and cleaned the seeds after they dried on the plant, and then stored and planted the seeds this winter so they could be exposed to cold weather and better germinate this spring.

Thanks to Ronen, the Alliance was able to cultivate native species with great names and even greater ecological importance, like little bluestem, bee balm, gray goldenrod, foxglove beardtongue, whorled milkweed and sideoats grama (an endangered plant) within the Park. The planting of carefully saved seeds bolsters and even expands the native plants’ range. And the more native grasses present in the Park, the more competition for unwanted weeds. Saving seeds also increases the species’ genetic diversity, and yields better-adapted plants than those grown from purchased seedlings.

Seed saving requires thoroughness, so Ronen’s task is not an easy one. But with spring around the corner, and with it thousands of blooms, it’s easy to justify the hard work that goes into making it all possible. Take a stroll up to the green roof and, thanks to the abundance of native vegetation, it’s easy to forget you’re standing atop a state-of-the-art, and LEED Gold rated skating center in the nation’s largest city.

Swing by the LeFrak Center at Lakeside this spring to check out Ronen’s handiwork on the green roof!

c. Bianca Nelson

PPA Profiles: Jared Kuhn

February 17, 2016

As an arborist for the Prospect Park Alliance, Jared Kuhn gets one question a lot this time of year, “what do you do in the winter?” He can’t help but smile.

It’s a fair question. In the spring, many of the Park’s 30,000 trees return to life with new blooms and leaves. During the summer, they provide crucial shade for many a picnic. And in the fall, the Park’s 30,000 trees become awash with vibrant reds, oranges and yellows.

But while most trees are dormant in the winter, the Alliance’s two arborists, Jared Kuhn and Ryan Gellis, are still busy in the Park. “There’s no true off-season for us. In the winter, we are surveying the Park and removing dead limbs,” Jared explains. “This time of year, issues with trees are easier to spot. It helps us strategize our work for spring and summer.”

The lack of foliage actually allows Jared and Ryan to inspect trees more closely for potential detriments to the health of the trees. “We’re also able to do more structural pruning,” says Jared, “which trains young trees to grow stronger, and entails clipping away branches that could cause the tree to become weaker as it grows larger.”

A Pennsylvania native, Jared studied forestry at Penn State and then moved to Denver, where he worked for a residential tree care firm. But when his then-girlfriend moved to New York to attend FIT, Jared packed his bags and moved back east as well. The move turned out to be a good one. His girlfriend became his wife, and Jared secured a job with the Prospect Park Alliance.

Due to its climate and altitude, Brooklyn is able to support greater diversity of trees than Denver, which is much drier and sits a mile above sea level.  That means more varied tasks day in and day out. He enjoys the variety, and Jared considers himself very fortunate. “I work in the woods and I live in the greatest city in the world.”

Love Prospect Park’s trees? Learn more about our commemorative tree program.

Protecting Prospect Park’s Wildlife

November 24, 2015

A wide variety of wildlife call Prospect Park home. In conjunction with FIDO in Brooklyn, WILD for Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Bird Club, the Prospect Park Alliance has recently taken a step toward protecting the health of the Park’s many wild residents.

The Alliance installed twelve fishing line recycling containers around the Lakeshore, where fishers can responsibly dispose of their fishing line. Improperly discarded fishing line and hooks can pose a serious injury risk to both wildlife and pets. Aquatic wildlife is especially at risk, due to their proximity to areas where fishing line is discarded. These containers were funded and constructed by FIDO and will be regularly maintained by WILD.

As a National Audubon-designated Important Bird Area, Prospect Park supports over 200 species of birds, as well as fish, turtles and other wildlife. Recreational fishers can help protect wildlife by placing used fishing line in one of the new recycling containers. Learn more about fishing in Prospect Park.

Alliance Receives Greener NYC Funding

September 29, 2015

The Prospect Park Alliance will receive $50,000 in funding from the New York City Council’s Greener NYC Initiative to support the Alliance’s Woodlands Youth Crew program. Speaker Mark-Viverito, Council Member Donovan Richards and the New York City Council awarded over $1 million dollars in funding to 26 organizations. The initiative supports environmentally friendly focused programs that encourage the improvement and conservation of New York City’s air, land, energy and open space.

Sue Donoghue, President of the Prospect Park Alliance, said, “Thanks to the City Council, this important funding will support the Prospect Park Alliance Woodlands Youth Crew, a unique initiative that employs local high school students to participate in Park restoration while learning about environmental preservation and future job opportunities. By countering erosion, removing invasive vegetation, and planting native plants, the Woodlands Youth Crew has given new life to some of the most damaged areas in Prospect Park.  Our thanks go to Speaker Mark-Viverito, Council Members Richards and Levine, and the entire City Council for their support.”

“New York City is committed to being a leader on environmentalism and sustainability on the city level,” said Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. “This initiative is part of the City Council’s ongoing commitment to making New York City greener and more environmentally friendly. Together we are moving in the right direction, and through the Greener NYC Initiative, we’re bringing every community across the city together to get there even faster.”

Check out our video to learn more about the Woodlands Youth Crew.

c. Martin Seck

Restoring Woodlands

August 6, 2015

The Prospect Park Alliance has received nearly $500,000 in funding to restore the woodlands at Lookout Hill, one of the highest points in Prospect Park. The funding from the National Park Service is being administered by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation through a program dedicated to rehabilitating historic landmarks damaged by Superstorm Sandy in 2012. 

Lookout Hill lost approximately 500 trees and suffered severe damage to the wooded slopes of Lookout Hill. The project will involve removing fallen material and stumps, and planting 2,500 trees, 3,000 shrubs and 25,000 plants to restore the woodlands and stabilize the slope to buffer against future storms. 

This is the second year that the Alliance has received funding through this program. In 2014, the Alliance received more than $725,000 in funding to restore a heavily wooded hillside in the Northeast corner of Prospect Park. Superstorm Sandy destroyed 40 to 50 trees causing damage to several structures and destabilizing slopes. This project will restore the woods by clearing storm damage, removing invasive species, planting native trees and shrubs, and stabilizing the slopes.

PPA Profiles: Janis Napoli

April 14, 2015

Janis Napoli, Prospect Park Alliance’s Horticultural Supervisor, is the Park’s flower guru. She oversees a team of four gardeners that care for its flowering plants. At first glance, Prospect Park seems to be dominated by trees and shrubs, but there are dozens of flowering plants throughout the landscape, including Park entrances and arches, and a few formal gardens, including Carmen’s Garden at the Litchfield Villa and the berms at Grand Army Plaza.

Janis has had a green thumb her whole life. She propagated plants as a teenager before earning a degree in Horticulture and a prestigious internship with the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Upon completion of her internship, Janis was offered the rare opportunity to become an Assistant Gardener, where she learned a great deal of the skills that Prospect Park benefits from today.

Janis joined the Alliance as Horticulture Supervisor last year, and handles her monumental task with aplomb. With a very small crew, she is responsible for the health and beauty of the all of the Park’s flowering plants, which are spread over 585 acres. As spring approaches, the horticulture crew tends to hundreds of acres of landscapes, with flowering trees to prune, paths to clear and bulbs to plant.

Even before this work begins, every plot must be carefully inspected and assessed. Janis and her team have a lot to consider when creating public floral spaces, such as access to sunlight, flowering behavior and the environment. She even examines aerial photos to learn how landscapes receive sunlight and shade throughout the year, and observes how visitors interact with the space. 

“Areas that are open to the public or are in highly trafficked throughways generally host hardier plants,” Janis explained, “while those that are protected by fencing or thick underbrush allow for more delicate blooms.” 

One of Janis’ favorite destinations in the Park is Carmen’s Garden, and one of her favorite flowering plants is Edgeworthia, or paper bush, which glistens in the sunlight all winter and blooms gorgeous creamy yellow buds in the spring. You can see these blossoms later this spring near the 9th Street entrance of the Park. Check out our spring bloom guide for other great spots to see the horticulture team’s work in action.

Let it Rain

March 16, 2015

As regular cyclists, joggers and walkers in Prospect Park know, heavy storms can cause flooding along the Park Drive and pathways as runoff makes its way through the Park’s drainage system, which is nearly 150 years old. Stormwater management has become one of the biggest priorities for the Alliance’s Design and Construction team. Flooding not only hinders use of the Park, but also can have harmful consequences on the Park’s landscapes and ecosystems.

Nearly all new construction projects in Prospect Park, including the LeFrak Center at Lakeside  and the major renovation of the Long Meadow Ballfields, include sustainable stormwater systems. In addition, the Alliance’s Design and Construction team is exploring other ecologically minded improvements that can be implemented around the Park. New rain gardens that were recently installed along the Park Drive near Park Circle are examples of sustainable stormwater management. This project was made possible by residents of the 39th New York City Council District who voted in participatory budgeting in 2012, which was organized through the office of New York City Council Member Brad Lander.

Rain gardens are landscaped areas intended to collect stormwater runoff and allow it to slowly infiltrate the soil. A small trench is dug into the landscape and surrounded by native water-tolerant plants, such as New York Aster, Inkberry Holly, Bearberry and several native grasses. The gardens are not only beautiful additions to the Park, they also serve several important functions.

“In addition to absorbing stormwater so it doesn’t overwhelm the Park’s aging drainage system, rain gardens create an environmentally friendly method for filtering water and reducing erosion, which can have a devastating impact on the grass, shrubs and trees,” said Justine Heilner, the Alliance’s Senior Landscape Architect. “The rain gardens were planted this fall, and we already have seen a significant reduction in flooding. We are excited to see how they evolve this spring, and hope to install more throughout the Park.”

c. Martin Seck

PPA Profiles: Steven DiFalco

February 12, 2015

Many New Yorkers are surprised to learn that there is a thriving forest in the heart of Brooklyn. When the Alliance was first founded in the 1987, the woodlands were in a dire state, and in the mid-1990s the Alliance began an ambitious restoration of the heart of the Park’s woodlands, the Ravine. Monitoring the ecological health of the woodlands is an ongoing process, and is spearheaded by the Alliance’s Forest Ecologist Steven DiFalco. Steven joined the Alliance this past June, and continues the work of a long line of committed ecologists in this role.

Steven’s primary role is to monitor the health, height and growth of Prospect Park’s woodlands, which include trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants. It is a precarious balancing act of selecting the right native species to plant, and deciding exactly where to plant them to maintain a delicate ecosystem. This means choosing plants, shrubs and trees that will attract birds, repel invasive species and resist harmful insects. In the winter months, Steven analyzes data collected throughout the year, which helps the Landscape Management team decide what to plant and where, as well as spot early signs of disease.

“Some of the trees alone are more than a century old,” said Steven. “It’s extremely important that they receive proper care so they might be there for future generations.”

Steven recently settled into an apartment in Ditmas Park. He has always wanted to live and work in New York. His heart was set on working for an ecologically friendly non-profit organization, which to some sounded unlikely. Like many visitors who come to Prospect Park, Steven was astounded by what he found in Brooklyn’s 585-acre oasis.

“I was shocked by the number of ways that people used the Park,” he said, “I didn’t expect to see so many cyclists, joggers, hikers, soccer players and kids. Prospect Park is beautiful, but it’s the people that make it really special.”

c. Fiora Watts

Battling Dutch Elm Disease

September 2, 2014

The Prospect Park Alliance is currently battling a serious threat to one of its most majestic species of trees, the American elm. American elms used to be one of the predominant trees in American streetscapes and public parks, but over the course of the last century a bacteria called Dutch elm disease has had a devastating impact on these national treasures. The elms of Prospect Park are no exception, including a few significant specimens on the Long Meadow such as the knoll near Dog Beach, and a number in the Park’s woodlands.

“This is one of the oldest and most resistant tree diseases in the country,” said John Jordan, director of Landscape Management at the Alliance. Carried by beetles, Dutch elm disease is a fungus that enters the soft tissue beneath the bark. It blocks nutrients from circulating through the tree, eventually resulting in the tree’s decline. Dutch elm disease can overcome a tree in a single growing season. Prevention requires diligent monitoring to catch the symptoms before they claim the life of the elm.

Early detection is critical. The Alliance’s Landscape Management crew looks for the premature browning of the leaves, which eventually spreads throughout the branches. When symptoms are spotted, Alliance arborists attempt to prune infected wood before the disease can reach the tree’s root system, and in some cases, an anti-fungal agent is applied. Unfortunately, Dutch elm disease is often a losing battle. For those beyond healing, the Alliance works with the New York City Parks Department to properly remove the infected trees, which are then replaced with new plantings.

Love the Park and its 30,000 trees? Learn more about the Park’s commemorative tree program and how you can help support their ongoing care.